On this page:
About HEART
Vision: A school environment that is safe for all genders, where everyone feels heard, supported and treated with equity.
Mission: Tackling the systemic issues in our community by raising awareness and educating youth about GBV to ensure youth have safe spaces to develop healthy relationships.
Our Core Values:
- Building trust within schools to have open and honest conversations in a safe space, where students and all genders can be vulnerable about their feelings/emotions and experiences, allowing them to learn and grow into a healthier future.
- Supporting and lifting each other up, empowering others to speak their voice and build healthy relationships.
- Providing adequate, up to date education regarding relationships, GBV, and resources/support for all.
- Being empathetic, compassionate and genuinely caring towards all others, regardless of our differences.
Purpose: Address persistent and harmful gender stereotypes and build healthy relationships to break the gender-based violence cycle. For students (grades 7 – 12) to see themselves as allies in preventing gender-based violence.
Why HEART Matters?
“This program is extremely important to our community because surveyed results show that less than 30% of female identifying youth feel safe in their school and community. Domestic violence already prevalent before COVID has also spiked during the past year during lockdown. These factors are detrimental to the health and safety of women and the health and safety of the community.”
– Steffani Lang, Research Coordinator, Youth Impact Team member
Be a part of HEART
We believe in training and equipping youth to lead change. HEART empowers students to learn how to stand up and speak out about gender-based violence, and create a safer community. You can be a part of that team!!
(psst you can gain volunteer hours from this!)
- HEART Student Leadership Team
- A small team of committed students that meet weekly or bi-weekly to receive training on gender-based violence, bystander intervention and more, and to plan events at WDHS and Sir Allan MacNab!
- The student team works with HYN, our community partners and the school to empower their peers to learn about and build healthy relationships in their lives through events and initiatives. We want to create systemic change!
- Our weekly meetings take place over lunch periods (that means free lunches are provided!)
- This is a volunteer position, and therefore allows you to receive volunteer hours. It is a safe space to speak your authentic voice, respectfully share your views and make a true change within your school and community!
- Apply here!
This program will connect youth with education on healthy relationships, consent, healthy masculinity, and prevention of misogyny and domestic violence. We have already received tremendous support from the community including a generous donation from ‘100 Women Who Care’ who we would like to thank for the seed money for this important program.”
– Steffani Lang, Research Coordinator, Youth Impact Team member
Our HEART Members
2023/24 Student Leadership Team
WDHS
- Coco C
- Clara H
- Darcy
- Delilah M
- Kaelin V
- Pere O
- Peyton E
- Precious E
- Romeesa N
- Skyler R
- Tamara S
- Zara T
with Mrs. Thomas
Sir Allan MacNab
- Araf F
- Bronwyn B
- Cynthia S
- Dallas B
- Jordyn P
- Josiah F
- Katia K
- Leena C
- Logan B
- Peyton A
- Stephanie JP
- Vishaul S
- Will VA
with Mrs. McComb and Mrs. Sidorkewicz
2022/23 Student Leadership Team
WDHS
- Adelaide L
- Chase C
- Claudia LD
- Claudia T
- Hana B
- Liz S
- Maaz B
- Maddy S
- Maha B
- Peyton E
- Usman R
with Mrs. Thomas
Sir Allan MacNab
- Dallas B
- Jordyn P
- Katia K
- Leena C
- Stephanie JP
with Mrs. McComb and Mrs. Sidorkewicz
2021/22 Student Leadership Team
- Katelyn Urbanic
- Sophie Vivian
- Sierra Whitley
- Sailor Kovak
- Mara Hurst
- Leen Alfarra
- Will
- Martin
Our Train-the-Trainer Approach
HEART members will be trained to deliver messaging and training to younger students.
Introduction to GBA Plus
Gender-based Analysis Plus (GBA Plus) is an analytical tool to support the development of responsive and inclusive initiatives, including policies, programs, and other initiatives. GBA Plus is a process for understanding who is impacted by the issue being addressed by the initiative; identifying how the initiative could be tailored to meet diverse needs of the people most impacted; and anticipating and mitigating any barriers to accessing or benefitting from the initiative.
Our Partners
Hamilton Wentworth District School Board provides opportunities to bring awareness and engage students, parents and staff.
Interval House of Hamilton opened its doors in 1986 as a non-profit shelter serving women, 16 years and older, with or without children who were fleeing relationship violence/abuse. We offer an array of counselling and legal advocacy services.
February was designated “Be More Than A Bystander” month by the City of Hamilton.
Halton Women’s Place is the ONLY women’s shelter in the Halton region providing emergency safe shelter and community outreach services to women and children experiencing domestic violence and abuse. EmpowHER and EmpowerMENt are their curriculum-based programs.
Funding
